Our school librarian approached me this morning and tells me she has a number of kids asking for automotive based books...she doesn't have much to offer. She asked if I could put together a list of books she could order... You guys have any titles that would be good for high school aged readers, both fiction and non-fiction? I think I am sitting on a good opportunity here and would like to compile a list of good ones.... thanks-
I think there is a two volume set called "Roaring Roadsters" about the early days of racing jalopies. Most of the books by Tex Smith are good too.
The Cobra In The Barn by Tom Cotter Gasser Wars by Larry Davis Factory Light Weights by Charles Morris Drag Racing Gassers by Lou Hart Indy Cars 1911-1939 by Ludvigsen Library Series I will bet there are several really good books in that Series etc. These are 5 books sitting in my "desk library" Google Lou Hart because he has written several others.
The Unfair Advantage by Mark Donohue Carrol Smith's collection of books Andy Southard Jr's collection of books
Good suggestions for the fiction list, but; I suggest you query the librarian to see what level of non-fiction the kids are seeking. Might they be looking for something basic, as in general servicing of your car for a beginner? Or might they be looking for Chilton's or Clymer manuals for specific cars? I think you can see where this is going, but to have the librarian get the most bang for (probably) limited bucks, I'd start to ask questions to see what's really needed. Roger
Great suggestions so far, Most are in my collection. I vote for How to build the traditional Ford hot Rod by Tardell and Bishop. Ed Big Daddy Roth by Ganahal The Birth of Hot Rodding by Genat If you come down for the carshow I will actually go this year!?!?!
Agreed and I would also not make the assumption that they are looking for hot rod and racing books either. I realize that is what the members here want to see but my guess is the students would be looking for more main stream automotive subject matter as well.
We always had yearly subscriptions to Hot Rod, Car Craft ,etc. mags coming monthly in our school library as far back as I can remember, even in elementary grades. They do at least have the mags, these days, dont they? Ive never really thought to ask my kids,I guess I thought that was just a given.
if still in print, I'd recommend: "The Red Car" and "Three in one car" The three in one car is a really good fictional book published in the early 60's about the youth car-build-it culture. I have a copy here I'd be willing to donate to a libary. PM me if you want.
Excellent point! I also just assumed the monthly magazines were available in any school library. They were when I was in cschool, er skule, er, school...e.
The All American Hot Rod - The Cars, The Legends, The Passion. This is from Motor Books (200 pages with good pictures and artwork) Hell I'm 66 and I have a copy by my chair...................................Jeff
This really is a great example of the book being better than the movie, and theres many other great suggestions already, but i thought maybe i should mention that the Hamb also has a book social group. Im not in it, but it may be worth a look
Just my two cents but maybe some tech on modern cars. Like how OBDII works in case some kids are looking towards a career in the field. That was a big problem for me when i took the classes offered when i was in high school. To much time spent on old tech that is useless unless u have no interest in fixing modern cars. I agree the stuff is good to know but kids need an idea of the new stuff. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Let us not forget about history, particularly american car history. Books that hooked me, AND that I still own, are by Ralph Stein: Sports Cars of the World (1952), Treasury of the Automobile (1961), The American Automobile (1978), The Great Cars (1967) Some of these are still in print, and available on Amazon. Cosmo
Tman - when is the show? My shop has a pretty good selection of "shop" manuals - problem with most stuff today is that a lot of it is online like Alldata (which we had a subscription to but let it go, expensive and not really that useful...) I also have subscriptions to many magazines in the shop that the kids have access to... I am thinking along the lines of "general" type tech info.; how brake systems work, how ignition systems work, how fuel injection works, etc... The fiction suggestions are cool, are hope is that a kid will come in looking for technical info. and see a non-fiction title and pick it up, these kids generally don't read for fun but hoping to give them some interesting choices. The Haynes Techbook series has lots of interesting, general titles. I need to find some diesel books, a lot of our kids here are crazy for that...
Just a thought or two, Maybe you should consider putting some inspirational mags like hot rod,truckin,4x4 off roading type stuff etc.in the library instead of only being available in the shop, so a kid that might not ordinarily be interested in something like that may have the opportunity to get inspired and actually "read something for fun" like I did when I was in school. (I didnt have time to read mags in shop but did in the library) To be honest If it were me, especially as a kid and saw a book that said "How brake systems work, how ignition systems work, how fuel injection works" I would already be too bored to pick it up, unless I could already link that stuff to a hot rod application, something fun and interesting to me partially because of the introduction of the cool car and truck mags on the shelf over by the door there as you came into the library Haynes manuals? I may be missing something here and probably am. The kids are into diesels there because of... you know..Hot Rodding,making something cool and fun, making the black smoke role out of there "mule ears" (chrome pipes standing,pointed outward) if they are like some of the youngins around here I would have also reccomended traditional type rod and custom mags first, but if the librarians are like they were when I was in school,all the pin up girls wouldnt fly...
Hi Dan, I have reprinted my dad’s series of Hot Rod books, and they are available from my site (Felsen Ink), Amazon, Barnes and Noble online, and a few others. I’ve been having fun meeting the guys who read them as a kid, and want to reread them, and now they want to pass them on to their grandchildren. The books are very ’50’s, and give a picture of that time period. The books were written from 1948 to 1960, and they show a progression of teens and their cars through that decade. As a former teacher, I would love to see kids get a chance to read them! Back in the day, his car books sold over 8 million copies for Bantam. Please contact me if you have any questions. Holly Felsen Welch
I remember reading the all the Felsen books as a young man and still enjoy re-reading them today. I might add that our own Roger Jetter has a series of books also that are great reading. HRP http://rajetter.com/
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